Pig-releasing mechanism



Sept. 17, 1929. 'rz GlBBON I I I 1,728,483

P IG RELEASING MECHANISM Filed May 19, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l //V VE/V70/? ATTflF/VEYS Sept. 17, 1929. J. B. FITZ GIBB ON' PIG RELEASINGMECHANISM Filed May 19,1925 :5 sways-Sheet 2 S p 1929- J. B. FITZ GIBBONPIG RELEASING MECHANISM Filed May 19, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A T TO /vimPatented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STA TIES 1 JOHN B. FITZ-GIBBON, OFBRIDGEBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA PIG-RELEASING MECHANISM Application fiIedMay19,

This invention relates to pig casting machines, and particularlyto meansfor loosening the pigs from the molds thereof. I

An objectof this invention is to provide an improved and simple devicefor loosening the from the molds.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved sticker forpig casting machines, which will operate automatically; which willeffectively loosen the pigs from the molds, which maybe used withcasting machines in which. the molds travel continuously orintermittently; which may be attached to existing types of castingmachines, and which will be relatively durable,strong, compact, simpleand inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription of an embodin'ient of the invention, and the novel featureswill be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a portion of a casting machine having appliedthereto a sticker device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 a transverse, sectional elevation thrrmgh the machine,approximately along the line 22 01 Fig. 1 and illustrating the stickerdevice in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a similar but partial sectional elevation, but with thesticker device also in sectional elevation.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of parts shown in Fig. l. i

5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation illustrating the action of thechisel in prying a pig iiromits mold, and illustrating an intertheinvention is shown as applied is one of I the endless conveyor typehaving a series of molds 1 extending between and connecting oppositesections of two endless chains 2' and 8, which are guided over sprocketwheels 4 at one end of the conveyor. The sprocket wheels 1828. SerialN0. 279,009.

4; may be'suitably mounted for rotation ina frame 5. The molds l arearrangedside by side, with portions usually overlappingone another asshown at thebroken section at the left in Fig. 1, so that as theupperstret'ch of the conveyor travels pastan iron runner or troughdischarging molten metal, the metal may be allowed to flow continuouslyupon the conveyor, and as the conveyor travels, the molds will receivecharges of the molten metal varying in amount with the rate, of flow andrate of travel of the conveyor. The details of, the casting machine,however, per se form no part of the present invention. I

Before the molds with their charges of molten metal reach the end of theconveyor and pass over the sprocket wheels 42, the charges of metal areusually subjected to a cooling'action such as'to a spray, so as to causethem to eongeal and enable them to be discharged as solid bodies Whilethe molds pass around the sprocket wheels. Difliculty has beenexperienced,because of tendency of the metal chargesor pigs to adhere tothe walls of the molds, especially afterthe molds have been used forsome time, and therefore some provision should be made for loosening thecast pigs or charges of Inetalfrom the molds before they pass over thesprocket wheels to insure their discharge at that time.

The frame 5 isprovided at opposite sides, and at a point shortly beforethe upper stretch of the conveyor reaches the sprocket wheels 4,

with upright standards 6 which extend upwardly and terminate in bearingtongues 7 A beam 8 extends across and above the molds in the upperstretch of the conveyor and at its end is t-iltably mounted on saidtongues 7 by pivot pins 9 that are alined with one another and extendtransversely of the path of travel of the molds in the upper stretch ofthe conveyor.

The lower sightly above ashoulder 10 on each standard 6, so that thebeam rocks upon the pins 9, opposite side edges oft-hebeam willengagewith the shoulder10 and limit the extent to which the beam will rock.

face of the beam is disposed which mounts a tubular guide 12 for rockingor tilting movement in a direction transverse to the direction oftilting of the beam. That is, the axis of the pivot 11 will betransverse to the axis of the pivots 9. A stop device 13 is mounted onthe beam in a position for engagement by the guide 12, so as to limitthe tilting of the guide to a position in which it has considerableinclination, but permitting rocking or tilting of the guide upon the pin11 into positions making lesser inclinations to the horizontal.

A link 1% is pivotally connected at 15 to the guide 12, and extendsthrough an aperture 16 in a distant point of the stop 13, the aperture16 being considerably larger than the portion of the rod 1% passingtherethrough so as to permit of some lateral or tilting movement of thelink 1% in the aperture. The

end of the link 14 which extends through the aperture 16 carries a nutor other adjustable abutment 17, and a washer 18. A compression spring19 is also disposed on the link 1d between the washer 1S and theaperture 16.

The face of the stop 13 against which the spring abuts may have aconcave seat 20, and a washer 21 is disposed on the link 14 between thespring 19 and this concave seat 20. This washer 21 may have a convexface fitting the concave seat 20 so as to permit tilting of the link 14with a minimum of friction. The spring 19 tends to hold the guide 12yieldingly against the stop 13, in which position the iongitudinal axisof the passage of the guide 12 will have its maximum inclination, asshown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

A weight 22 is mounted in the passage of the guide 12, so as toreciprocate in an endwise direction therein, and this weight at itslower end carries a chisel or sticker 23 which is adapted to enter amold beneath the guide when the weight falls in the guide, as shown inFig. 3. The weight is so positioned that with a mold beneath it, thesticker or chisel 23 in falling will enter the mold adjacent one edgethereof and engage beneath or along an edge of the charge of metal orcast pig 2% carried by the mold. The metal of the pig in cooling forms acurved edge or meniscus as shown in F 3, and this curved edge tacilitates the entrance of the sharpedge of the chisel between the pig andthe adjacent inclined side wall of the mold. The movement of the chiselalong and in contact with the mold and pig tends to keep itsharpened.

A flexible cable 25 is connected to the upper end of the weight andextends vertically therefrom and passes over a sheave or pulley 26, andthen descends with its lower end connected to one end of a lever 27 ofthe first order. This lever 27 is rockably or pivotally mounted at 28upon a suitable part of the frame 5, and its other arm carries a rollercam 29 which is adapted to engage with and be operated by the successiveteeth ct one of the sprocket wheels 41, as shown clearly in Fig. 4t. Asthe sprocket wheels rotate during the travel of a conveyor, thesuccessive teeth of one wheel thereof will engage the cam roller 29 andshift the lever from the position shown in dash lines in Fig. 1, throughthe position shown in full lines in Fig. e, and then will suddenlyrelease the cam roller and tree the lever 27. During this movement 01the lever 27 however, the cable 25 is operated to elevate the weight 22,and then when the lever is released, the cable will be released, andthus the weight 22 will be released.

When the weight is released, it falls and projects its chisel into themold immediately between its wall and its pig, and the impact of thechisel between the pig and adjacent edge of the mold usually loosens orwedges the pig free from its mold. The inertia of the weight howevertends to cause it to continue to move after its stoppage by the strikingof the chisel between the pig and mold wall, and because of the factthat the weight and guide are in an inclined position the weight willthen rotate the guide 12 about the pivot pin 11 and against the actionof the spring 19.

This rocking of the guide and weight tilts the chisel 23 which isengaged beneath an edge of the pig in the mold, and this tilting orrocking of the chisel acts somewhat in the nature of a crow bar andpries the pig loose from its mold, successive steps of this pryingoperation being shown in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively. This edectivelyloosens the pigs from their molds, and the pigs will continue to travelwith the molds toward the sprocket wheels During this continued travel,the chisel will tend to drag over the mold it last entered and the beamwill tiltor rock to a limited extent upon its pivots 9 so as to permitof this dragging without danger of breaking oil the chisel or of thebreaking of other parts 01 the machine. As the next mold begins to movebeneath the weight, however, a sprocket wheel 4 will operate the lever27 in a direction to elevat-e the weight, and when the cable 25 is madetaut and operated to elevate the weight, the

direct upward pull on the end of the cable connected to the weight, willright the guide 12 into a position in which its axis is in anapproximately vertical plane, and in a posi tion to direct the weightinto the mold which is just then moving into position beneath it.

The weight, guide and beam are therefore all righted automatically bythe mere elevation of the weight, and will beheld in that position untilthe weight is released at a time when the mold is in proper positionbeneath it.

Upon release of the weight, it again wedges or pries a pig from its moldin the manner just described. This operation is continued for eachsuccessive mold which moves beneath the sticker, or chisel, and theoperating parts therefor.

It is also desirable to have a stop limiting the, downward movement orthe weight 22beyond an extent necessary to loosen the pig from the mold.Then the chisel cannotdescend far enough'to becaughtin the molds andbroken, owing to the limited extent to which the beam may tilt. Thelimitedtilting of the beam 8 is provided in order toprevent tilting ofthe beam and parts carriedthereby into a position where the elevation ofweight 22 might be diflicult. 'As a convenient stop for this purpose theweight 22 may have a lug slidi'ng in a slot 31 provided in a side wallof the tubular guide 12 at its upper end, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

The operation of the improvedsticker device would appear to be obviousfrom the foregoing description, but will be briefly mentioned. As themolds with their charges of metals or pigs move beneath the beam 8, thesprocket wheel 4 will operate the lever 27 to cause an elevation of theweight 22, and then its sud-den release. The weight in falling willproject its chisel int-o Wedging engagement between the mold and pig,and the subsequent tilting of the weight will pry the pig loose from itsmold. This operation is automatic and may be utilized with a castingmachine in which the molds travel either continuously or intermittently.This improved sticker has been found to be particularly elfective, andis very simpleand easily appliedto existing casting machines withoutmaterial modifications thereof.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details, which have beenherein described and illustrated, in order to explain the nature of theinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principleand scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In a. )ig "casting machine, a series of molds in which the pigs areto be cast, means for moving said molds successively in a prescribedpath, a sticker disposed above the path of travel of said molds, meansfor uiding said stickerbetween the molds and the pigs cast therein, andmeans controlled by said moving means for causing actuation of thesticker into each mold in succession to loosen its pig.

2. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side,means for moving said molds in a prescribed path, a sticker disposedabove said path, means forguiding said sticker into any mold beneath it,in a direction and at a point to engage between the mold and a pig casttherein, said sticker being actuated into the mold by gravity, and meansoperated by said moving means for raising and releasing said sticker atintervals to cause the sticker to fall into each mold when said mold isin line beneath it, and release the pigs from said molds in succession.

In a pig-casting machine, a series of molds arranged s de by s1de,meanstor movmg sald molds in 'a' prescribed path, a "stlcker disposed abovesaid path, means for guiding.

leasethe'pigs from said molds in succession,

means mounting said guiding means for l m ted oscillation in thedirection of travel of the molds, whereby sa d sticker may drag oversaid molds without injury to said molds 1 and said sticker.

'4. Ina pig casting machine, a SGIIGS of molds arranged sid'ebyside,means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path,awedge shaped sticker disposed above said path,a guide for said stickerfor directingsaid sticker downwardly into any mold beneath it in aninclined direction and projecting said sticker between the 'mold walland any pig cast therein, said guide being mounted for-rocking movementin a direction transversely of the direction of travel of said molds,whereby after said sticker has entered between the mold wall and a pigcast in that mold, it may tilt transversely of the travel of the moldand pry the pigfro'm its mold, and means controlled by said moving meansfor causing movement of said sticker into and out of the molds insuccession. v

5. Ina pig casting machine a series of molds arranged side by side,means for mov ing said molds successivelyin'a prescribed path, a stickerdisposed above said path, means operable in coordinated relation to thetravel ofsaid molds for first projectingsaid sticker into a mold betweenthe moldwall and the pig cast therein, and then tilting it lateral ly ofsaid path to pry said pigloose from its mold, and means mounting saidchisel 'projecting means in a manner to permit the sticker to trail overthe molds while in the oath thereof and during movement of the molds.

6. In a pig casting machine, seriesof moldsjarranged side by side, meansfor moving said molds in a prescribed path, a chisel,

and means operable by said moving means for projecting'the chisel into amold and along an edge of thepig, and by inertia then tilting the chiselto pry'said pigs loose from their molds in succession during the travelof the molds in said path. I W p "7. In a pig casting machine, a seriesof molds arranged side by side, means for moving said molds in aprescribed path, a chisel disposed above said path, and means operablein coordinated relation to the travel of said molds forinserting saidchisel 'insuccession into said moldsbetweenthe pig and the'mold and thentilting said chisel to pry the pigs loose from the molds.

8. In a pig casting machine, an endless carrier, a series of moldsarranged side by side on said carrier for movement in a prescribed path,sprocket wheels for guiding said carrier, a chisel, and means operableby one of said sprocket wheels for inserting said chisel into said moldsin succession, between the mold wall and the pig cast therein, to looseneach pig from its mold.

9. In a pig casting machine, an endless carrier, a series of moldsarranged side by side on said carrier for movement in a prescribed path,sprocket wheels for guiding said carrier, a chisel, and means operableby one of said sprocket wheels for inserting said chisel into said moldsin succession, between the mold wall and the pig cast therein, and thentilting said chisel laterally of the direction of travel of said molds,to pry each pig loose from its mold.

10. In a pigcasting machine a series of molds arranged side by side,means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path, a weightdisposed above said path, a guide for directing said weight toward andfrom said molds travelling through said path, said guide directing said.weight in an inclined path and tiltable into different inclinationstransversely of said path, yielding means holding said guide at amaximum inclination, a chisel carried by said weight and efiective uponthe falling of the weight to enter the mold and engage between the wallof the mold and the pig cast therein, and then by inertia tilt laterallyof said path against the action of said yielding means to pry the pigloose from said mold, andmeans operable in coordinated relation to saidmoving means for raising and releasing said weight in succession tocause said chisel to enter said molds successively during their travelin said path.

11. In a pig casting machine a series of molds arranged side by side,means for moving said molds successively in a prescribed path, a weightdisposed above said path, a guide for directing said weight toward andfrom said molds travelling through said path, said guide directing saidweight in an inclined path and tiltable into different inclinationstransversely of said path, yielding means holding said guide at amaximum inclination, achisel carried by said weight and eifective uponthe falling of the weight to enter the mold and engage between the wallof the mold and the pig cast therein, and

then by inertia tilt laterally of said path against the action of saidyielding means to pry the pig loose from said 'mold, means operable incoordinated relation to said moving means for raising and releasing saidweight in succession to cause said chisel to enter said moldssuccessively during their travel in said path, and means mounting saidguide for tilting movement in the direction of travel of said moldswhereby said chisel may drag from one mold to another without damage tomolds or chisel.

12. In a pig casting machine, an endless conveyor, a series of moldsmounted on said conveyor for movement in succession through a prescribedpath, a beam extending across and above said path and tiltable about anaxis transverse to said path, a guide mounted on said beam foroscillation in a plane transverse to said path, means yieldingly holdingsaid guide in an inclined position and permitting tilting of said guidein said plane into lesser inclinations, a weight mounted by said guidefor movement in an inclined direction toward and from said path and intoand out of any mold beneath it, means for operating said conveyor, andmeans controlled by said operating means for raising and releasing saidweight in coordinated relation to the travel of said molds, whereby saidweight will be raised above each mold and released to fall toward thatmold, and a chisel carried by said weight and eiiective from the fallingof the weight to enter a mold between the wall mold and a pig casttherein, and then tiltable laterally by inertia against said yieldingmeans to pry the pig loose from its mold.

13. In a pig casting machine, an endless conveyor, a series of moldsmounted on said conveyor for movement in succession through a prescribedpath, a beam extending across and above said path and tiltable about anaxis transverse to said path, a guide mounted on said beam foroscillation in a plane transverse to said path, means yieldingly holdingsaid guide in an inclined position and permitting tilting of said guidein said plane into lesser inclinations, a weight mounted by said guidefor movement in an inclined direction toward and from said path and intoand out of any mold beneath it, means for operating said conveyor, meansmoved and released at intervals by said operating means in coordinatedrelation to the travel of said molds beneath said guide, for raising andreleasing said weight above each mold in succession to project saidweight toward each mold, and a chisel carried by said weight andoperated thereby into said molds successively between the mold wall andthe pig cast therein, and then tilting by inertia against said yieldingmeans to pry the pig loose from its mold.

14. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side,means for conveying said molds in a prescribed path, a beam disposedabove said path, means mounting said beam for lateral tilting about anaxis transverse to said path, a guide tiltably mounted on said beam foroscillation about an axis extending approximately parallel. to saidpath, a spring device carri, J. by said beam and holding said guide inan inclined position and yielding to permit oscillation of said guideinto lesser inclinations, a weight guided in an inclined path by saidguide, a chisel carried by said weight and guided into and out of a moldbeneath said guide, With the chisel entering between a wall of the mold,and a pig in said mold, and means for repeatedly elevating and releasingsaid weight to permit said chisel to enter a mold and then tiltlaterally upon said beam to pry the pig loose from that mold, saidtilting beam permitting dragging of said chisel from one mold to anotherduring the travel of said molds.

15. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side,means for conveying said molds in a prescribed path, a beam disposedabove said path, means mounting said beam for lateral tilting about anaxis transverse to said path, a guide tiltably mounted on said beam foroscillation about an axis extending approximately parallel to said path,a spring device carried by said beam and holding said guide in aninclined position and yielding to permit oscillation of said guide intolesser inclinations, a weight guided in an inclined path by said guide,a chisel carried by said weight and guided into and out of a moldbeneath said guide, with the chisel entering between a wall of the mold,and a pig in said mold, means for repeatedly elevating and releasingsaid weight to permit said chisel to enter a mold and then tiltlaterally upon said beam to pry the pig loose from that mold, saidtilting beam permitting dragging of said chisel from one mold to anotherduring the travel of said molds, and means for limiting the downwardtravel of said weight.

16. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side,means mounting said molds for moving them successively in a prescribedpath, a chisel-carrying weight, means mounting said weight for movementpermitting tilting of said weight in the direction of travel of saidmolds, and also trans-' versely thereto, and means for elevating andreleasing said weight and yieldingly placing it in a position with itsaxis in a plane approximately transverse to said path at the time ofrelease of said Weight.

17. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side,means for conveying said molds successively through a prescribed path, achisel-carrying weight, a guide for said weight by which said weight maybe moved toward and from said molds from above, means mounting saidguide for oscillation about an axis transverse to said path, a cableconnected to said weight and extending vertically therefrom, and meansconnected to said cable for raising said weight and releasing it atintervals corresponding to the inter vals of passage of said moldsbeneath said weight.

18. In a pig casting machine, a series of molds arranged side by side,means for conveying said'molds successively through a pre scribed path,a chisel-carrying weight, a guide for said weight by which said weightmay be moved toward and from said molds from above, means mounting saidguide for oscillation about an axis transverse to said path, a cableconnected to said weight and extending vertically therefrom, meansconnected tosaid cable for elevating and releasing said weight and inturn operated by said mold moving means in coordinated relation to thetravel of said molds, whereby the weight will be released at an instantto permit its chisel to enter a mold when falling, and engage the moldat the edge of a pig therein and loosen said pig from its'mold, andmeans for mounting said guide mounting means for oscillation in thedirection of travel of said molds to permit the chisel to drag over themolds during continued movements of the molds.

JOHN B. FITZ-GIBBON.

